THE EDITOR WHO STAYED

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00001R000300180001-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 14, 2003
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: September 30, 1957
• Content Type: NSPR

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Approved For Release 2003/12/02 :CIA-F3[2P75-00001 R
heridan Fahnes
Two ye
publishe wee~y exngtori
able, Toombs had been a working re-
porter on The Washington Daily News,
The.Star, and the old Chicago Times. A
silc,'cessful writer ("Good as Gold") ,
Toomb's decided to stay on the job-"to
see what would happen if I ran a country
paper like a city newspaper. You know,
print the news ..."
Last week Toombs found out With
Fahnestock, he was under indictment by
the St. Mary's County grand. jury on
charges of "obstructing justice" and main-
taining a "common public nuisance."
St. Mary's, .County was one of the
quiete~a fariri ;and- fishing counties in
the nation until 3942, when the Navy
dropped. into its tranquillity the big
Patuxent Naval Air Station. With apay-
roll. of $46 million a year, the field
. brought the county prosperity, ,a popu-
lation increase from 15.,000 to 40,000,
legalized slot machines, and one bar for
every 150 residents.
Jndieial Attacks Under Toombs,
The Enterprise took out after what it
'called "the courthouse gang's" alleged
efforts to take advantage of prosperity.
In the last two years the paper has suc-
ceeded in forcing a reorganization of
the county liquor-license board, the
school board, and the building-permits
board. But most importantly, it attacked
Philip H. Dorsey, the plump county
Democratic leader, when Dorsey suc-
cessfully ran for Circuit Judge last year.
The Enterprise declared Dorsey would
use his office to "reward his friends."
Two weeks ago, Toombs charged that
his prophecy had proved correct.- Unli~kc
.every other county in ~ Marryland, _ St.
Mary's has two property boirds; 'instead
.cif one, to review citizens' Comj~laints
'.ibout road-building corideinnations. In
'yin editorial entitled wllex EvER IIAP-
PENED TO 'rIIAT OLD GANGP Toombs
FOIAB3B
(Md.) '` ""` xise, asked his friend answered his own question: Many of
AlfrecC''..Tdo to -take over the paper Judge Dorsey's "old gang" were on the
"for a wee 'iuhile Fahnestock went on two boards, which had been set up at his
vacation. Stocky, pink-faced, and person- suggestion, and all, while serving, were
getting a handsome $60 a day in remu-
neration. That 4vas the last straw for the
judge. At his suggestion, the grand jury
indicted Toombs and Fahnestock.
Mernorinl: This week they were to
come into court (possibly before Judge
Dorsey, with the judge's son, State's
Attorney Walter Dorsey, prosecuting).
Almost certainly the case would eventu-
ally be thrown out of court on the
grounds of the First Amendment. Yet
one monument would remain..
Last week as the cornerstone for a
new county courthouse was being laid.,
it was suddenly noticed that no copy of
The Enterprise was being included in
the steel memorabilia box. Quickly, a
paper was inserted. It carried the head- .
brie: JURY INDICTS EDITOR, PUBLISIiER,
ON DORSEY'S CONTEMPT CnARGE.
A~so~,atea rr~.. "Damn it," said Toombs. "There it is
Toombs : `Like a city newspaper' for posterity."
Approved For Release 2003/12/02 :CIA-RDP75-000018000300180001-5
or Who S~yed
tock
?